


Bastion

by likeabomb



Series: Datekou Week 2021 [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Datekougyou | Date Tech, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 02:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeabomb/pseuds/likeabomb
Summary: Koganegawa is new to the team- and to volleyball- and after being tasked to keep an eye on him, Sakunami realizes this is going to be tougher than he thought.Working together, they are determined to be the best they can be for the Iron Wall.
Relationships: Koganegawa Kanji & Moniwa Kaname, Koganegawa Kanji & Sakunami Kousuke
Series: Datekou Week 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211909
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8
Collections: Datekou Week 2021





	Bastion

**Author's Note:**

> Kogane and Sakunami bond over trying to work together!
> 
> Day 1 of Datekou Week, "First Years"

“The serve receive is going to be crucial if we’re going to really solidify the serve and block!” Moniwa calls from the sidelines, “Higher Sakunami!”

Sakunami wipes sweat off his forehead as he heaves a sigh. He rolls his neck both ways before he settles into another wide stance, waiting for the serve to go up. Kamasaki’s serve is good, probably one of the best on the team, so the fact he and Moniwa are here helping is an opportunity that Sakunami isn’t going to pass up.

“Koganegawa, I want you to keep track of where the ball is. If you’re going to be the setter after me, that means you’re the bastion of the Iron Wall!”

“Right!” He calls, then follows it with, “What’s a bastion?”

“Look alive, kids!” Kamasaki shouts before slamming a serve right for Sakunami.

It’s nice he’s aiming right for him, because it’s tough enough adjusting. Before it had been a pass to Moniwa, but now, with how much taller Koganegawa is than Moniwa, Sakunami has been having a lot of trouble getting the ball high enough on a receive that Koganegawa can get under it.

It’s still too short, too low, but to his credit, Kogane tries to get under it regardless. It doesn’t go well and he ends up on his ass in the middle of the court.

“Alright, alright,” Moniwa calls. He brings over a couple water bottles and a towel.

Sakunami buries his face in the coarse towel and sighs, rubbing his face before moving it to his neck. Koganegawa’s tired too, but most of this has been on Sakunami’s back, getting the pass high enough.

“You guys are doing good, alright? Don’t get discouraged,” their captain claps Koganegawa on the back.

He startles a little but smiles, “Right!”

Looking to Sakunami and his beleaguered state, his expression softens. Sakunami has more experience with the sport overall than Kogane does, but it doesn’t mean Moniwa doesn’t see how hard this adjustment is on him. Taking one of the bottles gratefully, he sits himself down on the floor next to where Kogane is still sitting.

“Sakunami, I think what might help is rather than just receiving and letting the momentum of the serve carry it to the setter, you’re going to have to put some force behind it yourself. That way, no matter how hard or soft the serve is, you can get it high enough that Kogane-kun has time to figure out where the best chance of spiking through will be.”

Moniwa’s hand settles on his shoulder, and Sakunami nods a few times, taking another drink, “Yeah, I think I get it. We’ll keep at it.”

“Not today, nope. You two did a lot today, even staying late to work on this. You need to go home, get some dinner, and get some  _ rest _ . This isn’t going to happen overnight.”

“But- Moniwa-sempai, isn’t Interhigh soon?” Koganegawa asks, eyebrows high.

“It is, but,” Moniwa glances at Kamasaki who’s already started doing tear down and clean up, “I don’t think you’re going to be ready in time to be our setter, Kogane.”

His eyes drop, flick to both Moniwa and to Sakunami, and then stay down. Moniwa puts his hands up to try to do some damage control, “And that’s not a bad thing. It’s certainly not your fault, you know. You’re new. It’s going to take time to learn what you need to be a good team player. Everyone goes through his period.”

Sakunami nudges Koganegawa’s knee with his own, and when he looks up, he offers his fellow first year a smile, “I’ll be right behind you, Kokkun, don’t worry about it.”

His lips purse and his chin wiggles a little as emotion overtakes him and as his face gets hot- he nods fiercely, “ _ Right _ !”

Moniwa can’t help the laugh that busts out, crouching down to put a hand on both of their shoulders, “You guys are gonna do great. Let us third years have one last shebang to cover you, and then I want you busting out at Spring High like there’s no tomorrow, alright?”

Nodding quickly, they both climb to their feet with the help of an offered hand from their captain, and get to work cleaning up the gym.

By the time they lock up, the sun’s down and the street lights are on.

“Let me walk you to the station, Sakkun,” Kogane smiles, zipping up his jacket.

Looking up at him, Sakunami grins, nodding once, “I appreciate it.”

The two bid their upperclassmen a good night, and head out, sticking close to each other in the dark streets. Hopefully neither is going to be  _ too  _ late for dinner.

“Did you mean what you said back there, Sakunami?” Koganegawa asks, tilting his head to look down at his classmate.

“Mm?” He looks up from his phone curiously, “What do you mean?”

“I mean! You said that really cool thing about how you’ll be right behind me! Isn’t that… obvious? You’re our libero!”

Sakunami huffs a laugh, catching it with a hand to keep it quiet, trying not to disturb any of the residents as they walk through the neighborhood nearest the school, “You’re right, I am,” he smiles, “But I meant… My job is the most important to making sure you can do _your_ job well. The receive, from a spike or from a serve, is the most important thing in any play, because if a ball hits the floor, it’s over. But my entire job is to keep the ball off the floor, and to get it to you while I do that. Like Moniwa-sempai said, you’re the bastion.”

His face tugs in a frown, “I still don’t know what that means. What is that?”

Tapping his chin, he tilts his phone up to his mouth, saying clearly, “What is a bastion?”

His phone chirps before reciting, “A bastion is a projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions.”

When he looks up at Kogane, he’s got a hand to his chin, his face pulled in an exaggerated expression of contemplation. Sakunami laughs at it, locking his phone to slide it back into his pocket.

“I think what Moniwa-sempai was trying to say is… the bastion is a good point of a castle wall to call orders from. They see a lot of the field, and can make judgements on what to do and where to send troops.”

Koganegawa’s eyes light up, “Like-”

“Like a setter!” They say it together, pointing at each other as it all clicks into place.

“Exactly,” Sakunami nods.

Stars dance in his eyes as he holds both fists clenched in excitement and determination, “I’m going to be the best bastion the Iron Wall has ever had!”

Sakunami laughs, a light and airy sound, and quizzes him on various things on the rest of the walk to the station. When they part ways, it’s with a wave and a promise to see each other tomorrow.

And every day from then on, the two work together to be the strongest pieces and the cleanest welds in the Iron Wall they can be, locked tight and in step.

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like to retweet and share the fic, you can do so [HERE!](https://twitter.com/likeabomb_/status/1371556051489751042?s=20)


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